Conventional casino games involve physical devices distributed across the casino floor. To play a game, a customer walks up to a device such as a slot machine, inserts cash or another form of credit to fund the machine, and then plays the game. Players can receive winnings, if any, at the machine, and can also cash out any unplayed portion of the wager amount. This game format requires that some form of automated scanning device, such as a bill reader or stored value ticket or card reader be physically located in the casino gaming device on the casino floor. The purchase and maintenance of a large number of these bill, ticket or card readers, each associated with an individual game device, such as a slot machine, throughout the casino floor adds considerable expense to the casino operations.